Charles r



C."R. KEERAN AND M. M. KAUFMANN.

PENClL.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 9,1919.

Patented Doc. 13, 1921.

Vso

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES R. KEERAN AND MICHAEL M. KAUFMANN, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS,ASSIGNORS, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO AUTOPOINT PENCIL COMPANY, OFCHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

PENCIL.

Application led June 9,

T o @ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that we, CHARLES R. KEE- RAN and MICHAEL M. KAUFMANN, bothcitizens of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county ofCook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Pencils, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a pencil equipped with propelling mechanisminteriorly of its body, and operable by means eXteriorly thereof, foradvancing into operative position a lead at one end, and an eraser atthe other.

In many Ways the present pencil is similar to the constructions alreadydisclosed in certain applications now pending as Serial Nos. 213,241,272,054, and 291,494; it eX.- hibits, however, certain distinctimprovements, particularly as to details of manufacture and assembly. Itis to be understood, therefore, that the pencil to be herein describedembodies many of the features claimed in the applications aforesaid, aswell as certain other improvements to which speciiic reference willhereinafter be made.

In the accompanying drawing certain eXempliications of this inventionare shown in the manner following:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through a pencil whose body is solid,the operating parts being shown in elevation;

Fig. 2 is a similar view through a pencil having a hollow tubular body,the operating parts being shown partly in section;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail, in longitudinal section, exhibiting theparts in the upper end of the pencil illustrated in Fig. 1, thepropelling plunger being shown as retracted close to its limit;

Figs. 4, 5, and 6 are transverse sections through the pencil, takenrespectively on line 4 4 of Fig. 3, line 5-5 of Fig. 2, and line 6-6 ofFig. 3;

Fig. 7 is an elevation of the upper portion of the tube by which thepropelling plunger is operated; and

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the clip, detached from the pencil body.

In the use that is herein made of the terms upper and lower, it shouldbe Specicaton of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 13, 1921.

1919. Serial No. 302,757.

understood that we are referring to the pencil as it is pointed inuse-that is, with the eraser end up, and the writing end down.

As illustrative of a desirable construction, there is shown in Fig. 1 apencil having a solid body 11 which is provided with central boreadapted to receive a tube 12 in which propelling mechanism is contained.At the lower extremity of the tube is a tip 13 provided with an axialbore, and arranged to abut a ferrule 14 that caps over the lower end ofthe pencil body. The bore within the tip is suitably constricted toprovide a passage of proper size to frictionally engage a lead A thatmay be used in the pencil.

`Ihroughout the lower portion of the tube which is non-rotatably securedwithin the pencil, are one or more internal ribs, preferably in the formof flutings 15. A plunger 16 having a threaded body is arranged forlongitudinal travel within the tube, being formed with a lateral iin 17adapted to lie adjacent one or more of the flutings. In such aconstruction the plunger is guided non-rotatably, as it travelslongitudinally through the pencil, to propel in advance of itself alead. Cverlying the upper end of the body is a cap 18 having its sidesolfset, as shown, to provide an upper part 19 that is externallythreaded to receive in flush relation with the body a collar 20; thelower portion 21 of the cap, by preference, lies flush with the collar,and with the body as well, which is suitably recessed for this purpose.The top side of the cap is centrally apertured to receive the upper eX-tremity of the tube 12 whose end may conveniently be upset, or hammereddown, or spun out, as at 22, to overlie the cap. It will be noted thatthrough the medium of the ferrule and tip at the lower end, and the capat the other, the tube is lirmly secured against longitudinal movementwithin the body.

A magazine is arranged within the pencil which, in the form shown,consists of a plurality of chambers 23, preferably four in number,arranged in radial relation to the tube 12. Each chamber is in the form`of a slot extending from the upper end of the body down for a distanceabout equal to the length of one or more leads. lllhen the cap 18 isarranged in place, the upper ends of these slots are closed, except lorthe openings that are arranged in the cap, one in vregister With eachslot to permit reserve leads B to enter and leave the chambers oi! themagazine. l

Means are provided tor locking the cap against rotation relative to thebody consisting preferably of a'plurality oil' ribs`24l arrangedparallel to the airis of the pencil and projecting interiorly ot the capinto substantial alinernent with the `interior surtace of its upperportion 1.9. rllhese ribs cooperate with complementary grooves orchannels 'formed exteriorly ot the pencily body, the relation et theparts being such as to provide an interlock Which positively preventsrotation oit the cap upon the peraY l. Upon the cap so mounted in.place? the c 2O may be threaded. lt Will be noted l the upper end of thecollar is returned. provide a tlange 25, Whose upper F ailords a bearing'for a sleeve 2G in vvl L is retained an eraser 27. llnteriorly or llig.3. it the lotver'end olf the sleeve is transverse ivall 29 having'central aperH ture troni Whose periphery depends a 80. The shutting'portions oit the collar "nd sleeve are so t'orined that the collar ll 25will underlie the sleeve Wall the saine time present its inner cent theflange 30 dependiV f.. ein. lly this means the parte are co ctlycentered, and permitted to rotate9 ivitl respect to the other.

A connection is provided between the collar 2G and sleeve 26 which,according to the forni shownj consists solely oit a tube 31 `whichserves also as the operative connecti1 n between propelling); plunger i6and its actuating4 nienahe the eraser sleeve. the

lower end oit this tube 31 are interiorly formed threads 32 arranged tocooperate with the threaded body ci the plunger. The ripper end of thetube 3l, however. so terrified as to establish an insefliarable, but trely rotatable., connection between the collar 20 and sleeve 26, and alsoan inseparableS but non-rotatable, connection bevtvveen itsell2 and theeraser sleeve. ,-.hese ends are a, ined by slightly expanding the tubeas 9" oo, forming thereon an annular bead B-l: upon Whichniay res Washer3o,

and reshapingA the Walls above the bead as at 3G.) to talre on crosssection that is polygonalj and by this term We mean some torina tionother than round. should be inentioned that the aperture formed Withinthe transverse Wall 29 and depending flange 30 is also polygonal so as.to cooperate with the 'complementary Walls 36 et the tube 3.1, theeffect being to prevent relative rotation beminirnuin oil cost9 as welltween the collar and eraser sleeve. When the parts are related in. thismanner, the end of the tube 31 may be upset7 spun out, or otherwisedeformed as at 37, to overlie the transverse Wall 29, an annular` groovebeinzgr preferably provided to receive the turned ont end of the tube.The use of the Washer l5 which is intended primarily to abut the lowerend ot the depending- .tlange 30, prevents binding; between the collarand eraser sleeve, so that these two parts may at all times be freelyrotatable one with respect to the other. The connection thus made isinseparable, it answers fully the requirements oit our invention., andrepresents a certainty in. operation. The collar and eraser sleeve thusVmaintained in connected relation constitute ior the pencil a head, oneelenient whereot serves` the nieans tor detzchably connecting with thepencil body, and the other as the means for actuating throueh the mediumof the tube 31j the propelling mechanism Within the pencil.

- irea et., Wi Ann Ae s eeve is a Jian f having; a soclreted boss 39interiorly threaded L j u o is thereupon helden einst further rotationecontinued turning ,noveinent ol the eraser sleeve will then resulty inrelative rotation between itsel'l1 and the plate such that the inadvance of itself' the eraser.

Reference Will noiv be made to a clip which. is cln'zrarterized byseveral Yfeatures of novelty. is best shown in llig. 8, this clip isformed with the usualhody portion 4l() having a toot l1 adapted to pressagainst the side 'oil' the pencil, the upper end oit the clip bodybeingl curved to provide a shoulder portion upon which is carried a headlil on either sideas at de. clip so forrned may heconveniently attachedto the pencil of 1 by providing; in the Vall ofi its body iinrnediatelybeloiv the cap 18 a slit l5 coinrnunieating` with one of the chambers 23therein, which is also recessed back to the cap Well 21 as shown in Fig.3; Within such a recess the head of the clip may lie between two of theribs 28 With its 'tl-anges 44; in abutting; relation. to the tube 12jand in countersunlr relation to the walls et the chamber 23 so as not toobstruct the space thereinl afforded for reserve leads, the shoulderportion .l2 of theV clip lying 'Within the slit L1-5 adjacent the loweredge of the cap Wall 21 to present the clip latter is caused to nieveoutwardly to propel Y' lll() body exteriorly of the pencil. It Will bemanifest that a clip of such formation when secured to the pencil asexplained, Will be immovably held in place, and the manner of itsattachment Will also be effectually concealed.

The preceding description has been concerned in large part with a pencilhaving a relatively solid body, as dietinguished- 'trom a hollow tubularbody, such as is generally formed of metal. rlhe pencil may be formed,however, with tubular body such as is X- hibited in Fig. 2, havingoperating parts in all respects the same as those described inconnection with the remaining figures. ficcordingly, the same referencenumerals have. been applied to the corresponding parts, and it isunnecessary to specilically advert to them again.

Referring noiv to the construct-ion shown in Fig. 2, the body,designated as G, is tubular in form, being provided with a taperedlovver end 51 having at its extremity a tip 52 Which may conveniently beconnected to the tube Within the` body. ln the region Where the tapercommences, is a transverse brace plate 53 which atlords a bottom tor themagazine of the pencil, which, by preference, is divided into tourcompartments (see Fig. 5) through the use ol suitable partition members.Each ot' these partition niembers may consist ol' radially disposedWalls 54 connected by an arc shaped Wall 55 extending from the upper endoft the pencil down close to the brace plate 5S. ln practice, it ispreferred that these partition members should be formed ot :me materialthat is light, thin, and slightly resilient, such as aluminum, so thatthey may be sprung into place and be held firmly therein againstmovement by their oivn spring action. The upper end of the bot y may becapped over, its Walls adjacent thereto boing` preferably inset andthreaded as at 56 to receive the pen cil head which is formed in allrespects the same as has been described in connection With Fig. 3.

According to our invention certain economies are effected in themanufacture and assembly of this pencil, it being una Jsarv to resort tosoldering in any instance or the. purpose et establishing permaentconnec tions. All the requirements of present pencil are fully satisnedby utilizin,

- this invention which is productive oi? economies both in time andlabor.

We claim:

l. A pencil having Within its body lead propelling mechanism, andexteriorly of its body a rotatable. actuating means therefor including acollar and sleeve arranged end to end, the former stationary and thelatter rotatable with respect to the body, the adjacent ends ol thecollar and sleeve being formed with transverse Walls each having acentral aperture, one such Wall being` flanged to lie Within theaperture of the other, and having its inner periphery polygonal incharacter, and a tube extending through the polygonal aperture of thehanged Wall having its surface adjacent thereto ot like onal formation,the tube Walls adjacent ea i end ot the flanged Wall being outwardlyea:H tended to hold the collar and sleeve in inseparable relation, thetube being extended Within the pencil to maintain operative relationwith the propelling mechanism, substantially as described.

2. A pencil having Within its body lead propelling mechanism andactuating means therefor including a sleeve and collar in end to endrelation, the former having an inwardly extending flange, and the latterbeing arranged to detachably connect with the body, and a single meansot connection between the sleeve, collar, and propelling mechanismconsisting olf a member having cross section that engages non-rotatablywith the sleeve flange, rotatably with the collar, and operatively withthe propelling mechanism, the longitudinal conguration of the memberbeing such as to lock the sleeve and collar inseperably together,substantially as described.

3. A pencil having a body at the upper end of Which is a cap Whosecylindrical Walls are provided with inwardly projecting ribs adapted,when iitted upon the pencil, to enter the pencil body to interlocktherewith, and a head rotatably mounted on the pencil adapted to actuatelead propelling mechanism interiorly thereof, there being means providedfith a threaded connection for securing the head tothe cap substantiallyas described.

oi-nlnLns n. nennen. MICHAEL M. KAUFMANN. Witness:

EPHRAIM BANNING.

